Diversity in Mining: No Longer Just a “Nice to Have”

Over the last few years there has been a growing understanding amongst business leaders that more must be done to increase diversity in their workforce. Beyond moral arguments, data suggests that businesses with more diverse workforces and leadership teams are more innovative and more profitable. In fact, research suggests that businesses with a diverse workforce are on average 35% more profitable than their non-diverse counterparts.

While Canadian Mining organizations have been advancing in their efforts to diversify their workforce, for many mining leaders more diversity has been seen as just a “nice to have.”

But as labour challenges worsen (the Canadian Mining sector is expected to have 80,000 jobs go unfilled by 2030) a talent strategy that attracts a diverse array of candidates can no longer be viewed as an optional feature to an organization, but instead, must be seen as a strategy that will be critical to ensure organizations can meet production and growth targets.

Many in the mining industry have gotten the memo and have already begun undertaking efforts to ensure their organizations accommodate employees of all genders, ages, and backgrounds. For example:

Women in mining make up only 17% of the workforce, and the drop-off from entry level to executive for females in mining is among the most dramatic across all industries. To combat this, some organizations have begun investing in camp amenities to better accommodate female staff and are introducing mentor programs to help women enter leadership roles.

Over 20% of mining workers are over the age of 55. Despite this, many of the most experienced employees aren’t ready to fully retire, and the demand for phased retirement programs—which allow workers nearing retirement age to cut back on their hours while keeping some pay and benefits – is growing. Unfortunately, only the most innovative mining organizations have implemented programs to accommodate these demands. In fact, only 8% of organizations offer formal programs for phased retirements

New Canadians and recent immigrants represent a largely untapped talent pool for the Canadian mining sector. Immigrants represent just 13% of the mining industry workforce, but 23% of the total Canadian workforce. Underemployment is also widespread, and many new Canadians have been unable to put all their skills to good use. To attract new Canadians to the mining industry, some organizations are putting in place foreign credential recognition support initiatives and language training programs.

Educating young people about the possibility of a career in mining continues to grow in importance. Despite efforts, recruiting young talent remains a major challenge. One way some organizations have attempted to attract a younger workforce, has been by highlighting what young employees value. For example, 54% of Gen-Z and Millennials would be willing relocate for a job with an employer that has an ESG strategy. Savvy miners have taken this seriously and have developed robust ESG strategies and are marketing these efforts to new grads.

While the mining sector has made many improvements regarding diversity, more work can and must be done. For organizations in the mining industry that are serious about delivering on production targets, improving, and increasing initiatives to attract talent, whoever and wherever they are, will be mission critical.